What were this year’s top trends in race and pop culture?
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
As you may know, at the end of every year I write up a series of posts dissecting the top 10 trends in race and pop culture. You can see last year’s list here.
I already have good list going (think: nooses, the new yellow peril, etc.), but I wanted to ask for your input. What trends do you think should be included in the top 10? What smaller trends do you think are worth an honorable mention?
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
tasha wrote:
The Imus flap. That happened this year, right? It feels like it happened last year, especially considering that it probably hasn’t been a year since his being scandalously fired, only to start a new job today. So, all of this went down in the same calendar year? Maybe the Imus flap did happen last year?
Ooh, I have another one. Blinding spotlight on black athletes behaving badly and whether or not the media scrutiny surrounding them has been intensified because of their race. This has not been a good year for Barry Bonds, Vick, Marion Jones, Pacman Jones, Isaiah Thomas etc.
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 2:07 pm ¶
Brakeline wrote:
New here and just read your last year’s list and all for the first time. I know you’ll likely have a number of obvious contenders for the list so my comments steer more towards constructive criticism:
Trends need context in order to highlight or suggest a pattern. a lot of the examples stressed last year were “all manner of adjective bad”, but the “connect the dots” effort wasn’t that great. Some categories were overstuffed, some understuffed, but the spirit of what you were trying to say got buried under all examples. Couldn’t spot the trend. That could be because there were just too many to name?
You want to get the reins on your beast so broader public knows why this is stuff to watch AND why it’s bad, I think, right? They need to get that sense of it then.
One trick we did in-house for reports was to gather the 20 worst examples, draw out really tight short themes from those that played out in phrases of 5 words or less, and THEN pick our “top ten” from those. That way it was a double-filter rather than picking the examples to fit the labels beforehand. That was how last year’s read.
The other thing that would help (and get even more attention) is to note.which trends shift positions, and to what degree/extent that’s a positive/negative for culture/society/audience at issue. I don’t know if you can add a little symbol for Wendi and Latoya and Carmen too and their rankings for the issues? LOL.
Anyway that gets you the better sound bites and quotes and shows it as a benefit rather than just a list of gripes that people and the media and the public can’t ever change. Hope this helps, can’t wait! good luck…
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 2:26 pm ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:
Hi Brakeline, thanks for the great suggestions! Just wanted to clarify one thing: what do you mean by trends that “shift positions?”
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 2:37 pm ¶
Masheka wrote:
Almost as bad as the celebrity racial slurs are the knuckleheaded apologies that follow (see Michael Richards, Dog the Bounty Hunter).
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 2:38 pm ¶
anna wrote:
Elderly white men blaming gangsta rap for words that were commonly used in polite society when they were children. See Imus.
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 3:42 pm ¶
Brakeline wrote:
Hi Carmen: Thank you very much for letting a newcomer chime in! I just meant with all the stuff floating around, you’re probably going to find at least two things happening.
(1) Because you’re able to put the focus on the trends you saw, rather than the examples;
(2) You narrow the frame around the things you saw;
Example of (1): let’s say “noosing” displaces “blackface” for this year’s top spot (shudder) and “Flatino [fake Latino] parties” bumps “campus pimps and hos” (cringe) for, I dunno, #7. What’s the trend and what does it tell you, especially given the comments, postings, etc.? Should we be glad it’s less of a problem or worried it’s still happening? What’s the worst example you saw, but best example of a solution maybe for each bad trend?
Really solid example of (2): last year it was general “facing” but this year if you were to break out “blackfacing” vs. “yellowfacing” (especially after the AsianWeek article and all the “darkie” discussion this year). They feel different and bundling them doesn’t do justice to their incidence. If you break them out, compared to last year, they would be new categories, relative in position to “facing” so weight them accordingly or tie them? What does it mean if blackface is #2 and yellowface #3 when you separate them, though last year the combo was #1 on your list? Does that mean we’ve seen more instances that are bearable, fewer instances overall, or become complacent to the worst stuff?
Doing that could help frame the stuff we might be missing, especially the more specific and concrete you are around gender, geography, sexual orientation, age, etc. tied to bias/sterotypes either positive or negative and who/what’s really getting the rub.
Especially before a big election year, just seems a like good opportunity to really get what’s on your mind on the table!
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 4:04 pm ¶
David wrote:
I’d have to say, transracial adoptions and the new insecurities of them can go in there.
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 4:14 pm ¶
Rob Schmidt wrote:
Naturally, I’d say something about the elimination of Indian nicknames and mascots. Two of the major offenders–Chief Illiniwek and the Fighting Sioux–began phasing out this year. Chief Wahoo received a lot of criticism because the Cleveland Indians were in the playoffs. And many high schools and colleges got the message and began to rethink their choices.
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 5:18 pm ¶
Mikel wrote:
I have to second David’s suggestion. I adopted a biracial child in July. The Madonna situation (Fall06) kicked up a dust storm but it just exposed an existing condition. It’s stunning how many people, across racial, economic, educational barriers, are uncomfortable with transracial adoption. It isn’t just Americans or Europeans going to Africa, etc… the distrust of motive, questioning of propriety are there for domestic adoptions, as well. Madonna, Jolie/ Pitt, Crowe, etc… celebrities pushed it to the surface.
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 5:36 pm ¶
darleene wrote:
The late coverage of race-related crimes. White on black crime gets immediate coverage, but black on white seems to be taboo. Case in point, Jena (a couple months late, plus Long Beach Halloween attacks that didn’t hit the national news until a witness’ car got trashed during the trial.
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 5:46 pm ¶
Salina wrote:
The whole controversy on Apu and Indian stereotypes found on the show and portrayed in real life in 7-11 Kiwk-E Marts during a promotion for “The Simpsons Movie” is definitely worth mentioning.
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 6:02 pm ¶
Eccentric1 wrote:
Hello Carmen,
I may have the exact details misstated here, but the trend that seems the most menacing and alarming to me is the shifting of pointed discussions on race subjects in the media. You’ve highlighted these recently (I think I read it in a New Demographic newsletter). When Don Imus called the Rutgers women ‘nappy headed hoes’, the media dialogue and public discourse drifted to focus on misogynistic language in rap music. When Michael Richards dropped his graphically detailed racist hate bomb, the media dialogue and discourse drifted to the use of the ‘n’ word among Americans with African heritage. There was also a case involving the abduction, sexual assault and torture of a woman of color by six white people in West Virginia this year. Shortly after the story hit the media there appeared news articles that highlighted character defaming details such as bad checks written in the past by the woman of color. What do bad checks have to do with her being beaten, raped, and tortured?!?!?
The thing that is menacing about these occurrences is the ease with which direct and meaningful discussions can be deflected and reshaped. When some of the most glaring and blatant race relation issues are brought to light in our society, the subject can be changed to the benefit of those who have hurt others. I’m sure there are other instances of slight and oh so subtle shifts that take place that we never really notice. I don’t know whether the Don Imus and Michael Richards shifts happened due to the influences of those who own the media, or if the PR groups that represented these men. But, I really think we need to keep an eye out for these kinds of shifts, as they work against constructive dialogue on race.
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 6:56 pm ¶
Jennifer wrote:
Don’t forget the massive gender/racial fallout from the Duke Lacrosse court case and the backlash of angry white men feeling that, finally, they could prove that they were victims of racial discrimination.
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 6:57 pm ¶
DWS wrote:
Reparations…
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 7:10 pm ¶
B Girl wrote:
How about the vilification of all Chinese imports from food to plastic goods?
And I think somewhere, somehow, the lawsuit brought against the dry cleaners by the judge over the million dollar pair of pants needs to be mentioned (though where, I’m not sure).
And while I agree with some of the point that Brakeline makes (especially about how trends have shifted), I disagree with the suggestion that your list needs to be tightened up until it’s all bundled into neat little sound bites. After all, racism and race issues are complex and often unwieldy and so perhaps what we need to increase our understanding is more discussion and more examples, not slicker packaging. Too, I don’t wonder if the “broader public” of which Brakeline speaks isn’t code for white folks looking for the race issue equivalent of intellectual pablum.
I look forward to this year’s list!
–B(rown) Girl
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 8:06 pm ¶
TeedinTX wrote:
Very glad you raised Duke, Jennifer, though not for the discrimination.
With an alleged victim tried in public without concern for privacy, judged by social standing; defendants prejudged for their class, race, and gender; and overzealous individuals with the power of the legal system at their disposal to do with as they please; and a public too willing to trust divisive hype enough to listen to reason or place any faith in institutions or other groups; that is a disturbing trend we should all worry for.
I’ll just add the annoying lack of “Today Show”/”GMA”/”Morning Show” attention to the beautiful missing children of color out there who I hope are found before the holidays. .My heart goes out to the white children too, but media preference needs to stop. Missing kids are a tragedy and no one deserves more screen time than the next.
Positive trend: political race baiting a la “macaca” declined only because there were fewer campaigns BUT immigration hate language and imagery became more subtle and MSM AND pundits of all stripes are giving major passes to all the presidential candiates. Screw the position statements, look at past statements, records, PAC $$$, and commercials. Very subtle and scary. It’s not a “debate” if no one talks about it LOL!
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 8:18 pm ¶
Thateen wrote:
On TV/cable TG & Bi in, Lez & Gay not so in (’spec if your Latin(o\a)…
De-cline for pee-ple of color leading TV shows? Guessing since I stop watching but think they canceled lots with men and women or killed of lots of the little pee-ple on the side?
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 9:00 pm ¶
Angel H. wrote:
1) I definitely agree with the “non-apology” plague. I recommend Rachel’s response to your own post about how discussions of race always get turned around to criticisms of the Black community.
2) Black bloggers bringing Jena 6 to light.
3) The blowout over Full Frontal Feminism. (And Amanda Marcotte’s – former – book cover.)
4) Pearson v. Custom Cleaners
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 9:04 pm ¶
Brakeline wrote:
B Girl: Actually didn’t say either of the points you mentioned. Funny how that happens isn’t it?
Just so that there is no confusion, again I did say that examples don’t substitute for trends. I didn’t say reduce the trends themselves to sound bites, but did say make them more digestible for a broader audience to “get”.
As for your other point, I was simply thinking my friends and family from overseas who do not speak English as their first language and do not consider the US the center of the universe… but for whom these issues are of interest and import.
So… I didn’t have a trend before, but somehow as long “broader audience” = “white” in the mind (big world, many other colors, languages, interests, not black vs. white, etc), and “white” it still looks to remain unqualified whenever it is used in the US (as an adjective? a noun? but never for people?), that’s always going to seem like a bizarre hidden trend in the face of a global US-centered community to me…
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 11:46 pm ¶
noelle wrote:
let’s not forget the rampant anti-immigration sentiment
(codified for “you are not white, so get out of OUR country now”)
at michigan state university in lansing, they held a “catch an illegal immigrant” day. my oh my. not quite the ‘huddled masses’ that lady liberty is drawing in to her bosom.
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 1:03 am ¶
justin wrote:
I’m watching a commercial for Beowulf, thinking about 300 and pathfinder. Screaming white beardos are Racialicious. It’s like some Caucasians think they have this primal savage past and somehow it’s ok because they are applying their dirty one dimensional fantasies to themselves?
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 4:42 am ¶
Tim Wise wrote:
Hi Carmen, this may have been mentioned, but to me, one of the biggest trends has been the way that whites behaving badly when it comes to race, have perfected the art of blaming rap and hip-hop for their own/our own screw ups. I mean, every single time the discussion gets shifted: it happened with Imus, with Michael Richards, with Dog Chapman, and my favorite, Ralph Peppito, the nearly-90 year old Board member at Roger Williams University. When Pepitto cut loose with the n-word in a board meeting, and it became public, he not only said he hadn’t meant anything racist (of course not), but he actually went so far as to say that he had never even heard the word before, until he heard it in a rap song. Naturally, because, ya know, old white guys like Pepitto always roll around town listening to 50 Cent…fo shizzle they do. Crazy stuff.
I know that in the past year, this is what I am ALWAYS asked about after speeches I give on campuses. I never got this question, or at least very rarely, until this year, so I assume it makes for a particular annual trend (hopefully to be less common in 08, though somehow I doubt it).
Anyway, keep up the great work!
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 9:27 am ¶
kina wrote:
Justin: I don’t see what the problem is with Beowulf. Please elaborate.
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 9:30 am ¶
mona wrote:
Don’t forget the new practice of running to Al Sharpton for black forgiveness. At some point he seemed to become the one to bestow forgiveness on behalf of black people everywhere (ugh!). At least that’s what someone told Michael Richards, Imus, and the Bounty Hunter…
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 9:35 am ¶
tasha wrote:
I may be in the minority, but I’m not upset that the Imus incident touched off a debate about mysoginy and use of the N and other racial and sexist pejoratives in hip-hop. What’s more upsetting to me is that it took the Imus incident to bring the debate to the forefront of the national media. Other parties and outles such as Essence, Ebony, those Spelman college students, etc., had been addressing the topic, with little fanfare. Maybe that in and of itself is a trend, heavily scrutinizing the use of racial slurs only after the careers of prominent white men are in jeopardy, sort of like the “white girl in peril” phenomenon, where the subject of missing women becomes relevant only after a white one disappears.
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 10:03 am ¶
dnA wrote:
Black folks adopting punk rock style, from wallet chains and spike bracelets to FroHawks. You know you wanna.
Also Jay-Z is the best new rapper. Isn’t that sad?
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 10:56 am ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:
Thanks for the great suggestions, everyone! And Tim – I’m excited that you’re checking out this blog! The “blame hip hop/black people” tactic will definitely be in the top 10, for sure.
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 11:14 am ¶
Kai wrote:
1. I’m with those who have mentioned (hi Tim, old mentor! no, not “old” like that, I just mean “back in the day”!) the mainstream media ritual surrounding racist incidents. The whole Sharpton-Jackson-rehab shtick has been happening for years but the media kinda seemed to find a strong groove this year with the “blame hip hop” spin.
2. Jena and the national emergence of a revitalized and reconstituted anti-racist movement largely mobilized by bloggers of color.
3. “Illegalz” is a new n-word. From ICE raids to the dissappeared at Guantanamo to unsung deaths in dark places, fear of The Brown has become the single most unifying theme of the US right-wing and will dominate the coming election cycle.
4. Racist fearmongering on Chinese imports.
There’s so much more…but hey I happened to have those links handy…
Cheers.
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 11:16 am ¶
dalia wrote:
in ontario, there was “nippertipping”… but i don’t know how much coverage that got elsewhere…
skin lightening anything — marketed by major cosmetic companies…
the BFC (best friend of colour) syndrome in films/shows
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 11:49 am ¶
anna wrote:
From the past week, all the the stories about “Two Black Americas”. (with note about the Cosby crusade)
Black vs. Latino conflict, real or hyped?
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 12:18 pm ¶
Mickey wrote:
I know I’m late to the party, but I would really like to see “Black Women-it sucks to be you” (credit to Averagebro.com) somewhere on the list.
I watched all the clips on MSNBC about Black women and where they stand. I left feeling a little….depressed.
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 1:13 pm ¶
B Girl wrote:
cutting the brakeline: “trends that shift position” is how CVK rephrases it and that is close enough for me to say “shifting trends”–forgive me for not using your exact, wordy passage. and “broader public” is in quotes because those are your words. maybe your points need clarification if you feel they’re not clear. my suggestions still stand.
i wouldn’t repackage racial issues to suit anyone else’s understanding. also known as the take a shot of black amazon and post again in the morning solution.
over and out–
brown girl
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 2:48 pm ¶
Cynical wrote:
Jena 6 for sure.
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 5:50 pm ¶
Kenda wrote:
my vote’s in for “it sucks to be a black woman”
Posted 04 Dec 2007 at 6:46 pm ¶
Kai wrote:
I almost forgot to mention that in certain limited and not exactly profound ways, it’s been something of a breakout year for Asian men in pop media: Yul Kwon won Survivor; Hung won Top Chef; Jerry Yang won the World Series of Poker; Mutsuzaka and Okajima won the World Series (over Matsui); Yao Ming has continued his rise as a dominent NBA center and global superstar, while Yi Jianlian was drafted 6th overall to boost the Milwaukee Bucks; Manny Pacquiao got recognized as one of the 2 top pound-for-pound boxers in the world; and we got Will Yun Lee in Bionic Woman, Daniel Dae Kim in Lost, B. D. Wong in Law & Order, Kal Penn in House; and of course Masi Oka, Sendhil Ramamurthy and James Kyson Lee in Heroes. There are probably others I’m forgetting. I mean, nothing all that revolutionary, but given the usual media images of Long Duk Dong and William Hung, it’s something a little different.
Posted 05 Dec 2007 at 12:26 am ¶
justin wrote:
Kina, if I put aside my irrational fear of facial pubes and realize that my issues come from watching a commercial that might not accurately portray topless greased up polygon people, I can still say that it bothers me that contemporary british accents can fit so seamlessly into whatever historicized crap people want to pull out of their curriculum. hopefully there is a beowulf post down the line.
Posted 05 Dec 2007 at 7:43 am ¶
Karen wrote:
Tyra Banks.
Posted 05 Dec 2007 at 8:34 pm ¶
Gregory A. Butler wrote:
I’d have to say the Jena 6 – from the Black bloggers who basically forced the mainstream media to cover this injustice, to the tens of thousands of Black people (mostly youth and students) who marched on Jena on September 20th, to all the White racists – from the campus of Columbia University to the halls of the Coast Guard Academy – who used this as an excuse to bring out the nooses and kick it old school KKK-style, the Jena 6 was the most dramatic racial moment in American culture this year.
or, as the t-shirts the brothas are still selling on 125th St would say “FREE THE JENA 6!”
Posted 05 Dec 2007 at 10:03 pm ¶
latinamericanprinces wrote:
noelle mentioned it, but i have to reiterate: immigration and race. here’s a great documentary on youtube about the prince william county, va debacle: http://www.youtube.com/9500Liberty.
jena is a great one too. race and blogging.
Posted 17 Dec 2007 at 12:47 pm ¶